Thousands marched in Belém at the midpoint of COP30 in a rally called the "Great People’s March," demanding Indigenous voices be heard and the Amazon be protected. Protesters carried a giant Earth-themed beach ball and a "Protected Amazon" flag while calling for greater Indigenous representation at the summit. The march coincides with UN warnings that the world is likely to exceed 1.5°C warming within a decade and with Amnesty and UNEP reports highlighting risks from fossil-fuel expansion. Delegates hope for progress on funding and past commitments, though major new deals are not expected before talks end on November 21.
Thousands March in Belém at COP30 — Indigenous Groups Demand Protection for the Amazon
Thousands marched in Belém at the midpoint of COP30 in a rally called the "Great People’s March," demanding Indigenous voices be heard and the Amazon be protected. Protesters carried a giant Earth-themed beach ball and a "Protected Amazon" flag while calling for greater Indigenous representation at the summit. The march coincides with UN warnings that the world is likely to exceed 1.5°C warming within a decade and with Amnesty and UNEP reports highlighting risks from fossil-fuel expansion. Delegates hope for progress on funding and past commitments, though major new deals are not expected before talks end on November 21.
03:19 PM, 11/16/2025Environment
Thousands March in Belém at COP30 to Amplify Indigenous and Environmental Voices
Thousands of people filled the streets of Belém on Saturday in the "Great People’s March," calling for Indigenous peoples and environmental defenders to be heard at the United Nations COP30 climate summit. The demonstration — the largest held outside the conference so far — mixed Indigenous community members, youth activists and campaigners in a lively, colourful procession.
Participants carried a giant beach ball representing the Earth and a Brazilian flag emblazoned with the words "Protected Amazon", underscoring demands for stronger protections for Indigenous territories and the world’s largest rainforest.
Earlier during the summit, Indigenous activists disrupted parts of the talks to pressure President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other leaders to take concrete steps to protect their lands from deforestation and fossil-fuel development. Organisers said the march was timed to coincide with the midpoint of the contested COP30 negotiations.
"Today we are witnessing a massacre as our forest is being destroyed," said Benedito Huni Kuin, 50, a member of the Huni Kuin Indigenous group from western Brazil, speaking to the AFP news agency. "We want to make our voices heard from the Amazon and demand results. We need more Indigenous representatives at COP to defend our rights."
Youth leader Ana Heloisa Alves, 27, described the event as the biggest climate march she has attended. "This is incredible," she told The Associated Press. "You can’t ignore all these people."
The demonstration comes amid alarming international warnings about the pace of global warming. The UN has said it is very likely the world will exceed the 1.5°C limit within the next decade if current trends continue. A UN Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment projects that, under current national pledges, the planet could warm between 2.3°C and 2.5°C by 2100.
Amnesty International has also highlighted the risks posed by the expansion of fossil fuel projects, saying billions of people are threatened and noting that Indigenous communities are particularly exposed because many projects encroach on their territories.
While delegates and analysts say major new global agreements are unlikely before the talks end on November 21, protesters and campaigners are pushing for progress on previously promised measures — including increased Indigenous representation at COP and greater funding to help poorer countries adapt to climate impacts.
Key issues raised by marchers:
- Stronger protections for Indigenous lands in the Amazon
- Action to halt fossil-fuel expansion and deforestation
- More Indigenous participation and representation at COP negotiations
- Urgent finance for adaptation in vulnerable countries